Catamenial sack



No. 626,l59. Patented May 30, I899.

A. GRAY.

CATAIENIAL SACK.

(Application filed Har- B, 1899.)

(No Model.)

- Irv 671157? Alfierfil. Grcgz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

ALBERT GRAY, on sT. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CATAM EN IAL SACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,159, dated May 30, 1899.

Application filed March 8, 1899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Catamenial Sacks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in catam'enial sacks, the object being to provide a device for the purpose indicated which is so constructed that the pouch may expand laterally and will be held against stretching or expansion longitudinally, the make-up of the parts being such that the sack will fit about and surround the vulva without inconvenience to the wearer and without liability of the-catamenial or menstrual fiow being discharged from the sack; also, to generally improve and render more convenient a device of this character.

I have illustrated my invention by a perspective view, and, referring to the drawings, A indicates a sack or pouch, the sides a a being made up from two crescent-shaped pieces of sheet india-rubber, the front ends of which arecut away so that the completed sack or pouch will be much wider at the front than at the rear, and at the rear the side pieces meet or form a point. The two pieces a a are connected to each other at their lowei or convex edges by a non-elastic strip or tape, preferably of thin oil-cloth or-other waterproof material, and the upper or concave edges have binding-strips of like'material. construction prevents longitudinal stretching of the rubber sides and reinforces the elastic sack or pouch, so that any distention will be lateral. The binding-strips receive when the device is in use the entire strain or pressure necessary to hold the pouch in placefand the side pieces depend from the bindingstrips, being connected to the central longitudinal strip,'which strip prevents downward extension of the pouch. The strips may be attached to the rubber either by stitching or by being cemented thereto. Near the central portion of the pouch there is secured a flexible cross-piece b, of non-elastic waterproof material, the object thereof being to prevent undue separation of the upper edges of the pouch and to retain therein the pledget,

This

Serial No. 708,246. (No model.)

which may be a sponge or absorbent cotton. To the rear end of the side pieces, as well as to the binding-strips and to the central connect-ing-strip, is connected or joined a pad 0, to which is made fast by cement or sewing a single strap C, of elastic webbing, having at its upper end a buckle. The strap is of considerable width, so that it will lie over the recess between the nates and not incoi'nmod'e the wearer.

To the front portion of the sack is attached .a pad B, made up of two or more thicknesses of textile fabric, which is stitched or otherwise attached to the longitudinal strip and to the binding-strip, as well as to the rubber fabric, and the lower part of the pad is cut pointed, so that the strain or pressure will be brought to bear upon the strips rather than upon the rubber tissue, and to the upper corners of the pad B there are attached diverging elastic bands D D, having buckles which may be placed in engagement with straps connected to a belt, as shown. The upper end of the pad 13, between the bands, may have an opening, so as to form a pocket in which can be placed a suitable disinfectant, as'a tablet of carbolic acid, which will be convenient when it is desired to cleanse and disinfect the pouch. In use the pad is positioned considerably above the pad 0 at the rear end of the sack, and there is no liability of the front portion becoming soiled.

When it is desired'to empty the sack or pouch or place therein a new pledget, it is only necessary to undo the buckle or fastento the front.

In the manufacture of the sack the side pieces a, a are cut from what is known commercially as dental rubber, and they are pouch'to be brought as close to the body as desired, and the pressure and position may ing at the rear, when the sack can be brought so shaped as to properly fit the body. The

be varied by the elastic straps which have the buckles and are placed in engagement with the strapswhich depend from the waistband or belt- I am aware that prior to my invention it has been proposed to construct a catamenial sack of rubber having a binding on the upper edges, such sack having at its ends short elastic straps which are adapted to be placed in engagement with straps secured to a belt, and that when the sack is made from two pieces of rubber they have been centrally joined; also, that elastic loops have been seen red crosswise of the sack for securing therein an absorbent pad. I consequently do not claim such construction as my invention, and, as far as I am aware, such devices have been provided with a plurality of retaining-straps at both ends of the pouch, the pouches being of the same shape front and rear, and no means have been devised for preventing the downward extension of the sack when weighted with the menstrual discharge.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a eatamenial sack consisting of two side pieces of thin rubberconnected to each other to form a pouch, a non-elastic strip secured to the side pieces at their line of jointure, non-elastic binding-strips secured to the edges, pads at the opposite ends of the sack the pads being of ditferent sizes the smaller one having attached thereto a single strap, the larger pad having attached at its corners diverging elastic straps, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. A catamenial sack made up of two truncated crescent-shaped side pieces of rubber, a non-elastic strip secured to the longitudinal center of the pouch, pads attached to the 0pposite ends of the pouch and elastic bands connected to said pads,substantiall y as shown and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a catamenial sack, the combination with a pouch made up of india-rubber, of a non-elastic strip secured to the longitudinal center of the pouch and non-elastic bindingstrips at the edges, said binding-strips being of less length than the longitudinal strip; together with pads attached to the bindingstrips and to the longitudinal strip, and elastic straps secured to the pads, the non-elastic binding-strips preventing longitudinal stretching of the sack and the central strip preventing its downward extension, substan tially as, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a catamenial sack, a pouch made up of two crescent-shaped side pieces which are wider at their forward ends than at their rear ends, pads of different sizes attached to the ends of the pouch, the larger pad being at the front, elastic supporting-straps attached to the pads one at the rear and two diverging ones at the front, the larger pad having an opening in its upper edge between the elastic straps which are attached thereto, substantiallyas shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT L. GRAY.

Witnesses:

H. V. RANKIN, J. F. ROBERTSON. 

